Noodling for Catfish

[easy3456]

Today I learned about "Noodling", which goes on down south mostly in the murky waters or the rivers that are home to huge catfish. They basically go into these rivers walking around looking for holes, stumps and other "tuck-aways" that these male cats protect after the female lays her eggs.

These guys will put their hand down in the hole, using the fingers to agitate the fish and also look like a worm and such, and wait for the bite. As the cat bites they reach in their mouth, grab them by the gills and bring them up...crazy I know! They say it feels like a vice clamping down. Also, that bite could be a cat, or a snapping turtle, venomous water snake, etc.

Here is a video from YouTube that is a segment from the VS network:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biL-QcviQGk

Check it out, let me know your thoughts!

[krissi]

I saw a discovery show on this sport one time. I am absolutely fascinated by the technique and people that do this, its so crazy and weird to me. You would never catch me meandering around on the bottom of a creek! Who thinks of stuff like this......

[livetofishnj]

Saw the same show, I'll do some pretty stupid things to catch fish but that's just crazy...lol

[WAHOONBOX]

ALL THE GOOD TV SHOWS ON SPORT WORTH WATCHING FEATURE THE LADIES DOING THE NOODLING.....AND THEY AIN'T SKEERED! MY LUCK I WOULD FIND A WORLD RECORD SNAPPING TURTLE....

[Satans_Chariot]

coming this spring to SPORTFISHERMAN.com.

just ask Buffington, Cape, Shoe.

Box, personally, i am hoping for one of those illusive 8 foot long water moc's that apparently inhabit the south

[Captain Michael Buffington]

it's on this spring

Mike

[Clearwater Lodge]

im a girl, from the south, and there ain't way i'm gonna stick my hand in a hole and let something bite me!

[CJ Bernardo]

Man, them's some big, ugly-lookin' flathead cats. I wouldn't want to put my unprotected hands into one of those mouths (from what I'm seeing, they're wearing gloves in those pics). Furthermore, wouldn't there be a risk of having that thing twist around and stick one of its spines into you while you're pulling it out of the hole? There's got to be more than a few instances of having one stick you while you're yanking it towards you.

But, yes, that phrase from Forrest Gump comes to mind... (bringing up a big snapper where you thought you had a catfish)

[don'thaveaboat]

Actually it is more complicated then that, during the spawn(may/June) the males make or find these holes and get the girls to come and the mals defend the eggs and when you stick your hand down there they think you are trying to get the eggs and bite your hand.

In most state it is illegal, because it is vary dangerous, and if we had a lot of guys out there they might destroy the populations because they are keeping the fish from reproducing.